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Women wearing cosmetics are paid more

(P1) Researchers have found a good reason why women take so long in the morning to get ready – they get paid more with makeup and nice hair. Sociologists said attractive people get paid 20 per cent more than “average” people. Attractive men and women usually earned more. A sociologist said: “For men, only about half of theeffect of attractiveness is due to grooming.” She said we judge women more, so looks become more important to them.

(P2) The study was from universities in Chicago and California. Researchers looked at data from 14,000 people who spoke about their salary, job, education and other things. The interviewers also rated each person on how attractive they were. People are biased about beauty because of a ‘halo effect‘. People think someone who is attractive on the outside is also beautiful on the inside. This idea is not new.

If you found the passage difficult to read or had problems understanding specific words or idiomatic expressions, please discuss them with your tutor. The following discussion questions should be answered in your own words and with your own arguments.

Briefly, summarize the content of the article in your own words.

Do you agree with the researchers and sociologists that women earn more money if they are attractive? Why or why not?

Are people biased about beauty? Why or why not?

READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS:

Studies haven’t shown a good reason why woman take so long to get ready. (T or F)